Spring is in full swing and Greens are in abundance here. Ardfield Farm Red Russian Kale, Lacinato Kale, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Rainbow Chard and Spinach have been featured at the local farmers markets and on our table. Kale Salad, Collard Green Wrapped Bean Burritos, TKT (Tempeh Bacon-Kale-Tomato) Sandwiches, Palak Panner, and lots more. Hardly a meal goes by without greens on the plate in some form.

Today I want to share my recipe for one of my all time favorite ways to eat Kale, Potato Kale Soup. With the weather growing warmer you may be thinking soup is not the answer. In India, however, folks drink hot tea to cool down in the heat, so give it a try.

1. Melt the Butter over medium heat in a large pot and add the chopped Onions. Saute the onions on medium heat until soft.

2 Add the chopped Potatoes, Water, Bay Leaves, and Salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are beginning to soften. (about 15-30 minuets depending on the size of your potatoes.) It’s nice to have a chopping fairy to help with the potatoes in the kitchen!

3. Add the Garlic, Thyme, Oregano, Cilantro, and Sage to the pot and continue to simmer for another 10 minuets.

4. Add the Kale to the pot and stir gently until the leaves are submerged. Continue to simmer for another 10 minuets or until the kale is soft, but not turning darker green.

5. Turn off the heat and serve into bowls or cups. Place a 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon of Miso Paste, per cup of soup, into each bowl and stir until the miso is dissolved. Enjoy!

Fall has arrived in Madison County. Each morning we have been waking up to foggy mountains, many colored leaves, and growing green plants in the garden.

Our Heirloom greens are enjoying the cooler season and a few varieties will be ready for harvest next week.

We are letting each plant get further established before harvesting begins. Look for Baby Spinach and Baby Heirloom Lettuce Mix at the Island Market in downtown Marshall a week from Sunday.

New things are evolving in the kitchen as well. I have created a new Granola flavor inspired by the season. Nearly Raw Pumpkin, Coconut, Ginger Granola will be available at our usual weekly Farmers Markets and the French Broad Food Co-op in Asheville.

In other news, we visited the Madison County Fair last night for Althea’s first Goat Show.

She showed Lindy, a Nubian from Appleberry Cove Farm, who will be coming to live with us in November along with her friend Lony.

Althea was very proud to bring home a ribbon and a pin after walking Lindy before the Judge.

As you can see things are changing around here as the weather grows cooler and the sunlight hours get shorter. We hope you are enjoying the changes of the season too.

Our Heirloom Tomatoes are ready for harvesting and we have several varieties available to share with you this year. Meet our Heirlooms in the photo below: (from left to right) Cherokee Purple, Pruden’s Purple, Moskvich, Valencia, and Yellow Pear.

The beautiful Cherokee Purples with their dark green shoulders and dusky pink exteriors, boast full sweet flavor with a smoky, almost chipotle essence. Pruden’s Purple ripens to a dark pink and has a wonderful sweet flavor. The Moskvich tomatoes have deep red, smooth skins and are what you would think of as conventional store bought tomatoes, but with a richer taste.

Then there are the strikingly orange Valencias with their meaty interiors. Last but not least, Yellow Pears with their mild flavor and low acidity. A great salad tomato or eat them for a quick snack as Althea does. She can often be found slowly making her way through the yellow pear vines, feasting on the lemon yellow fruits!

Last Sunday at the Marshall Island Market all of our Heirloom varieties were flying off the table! I didn’t get a chance to take a picture until nearly half of them were sold.

Finally a big welcome to Blackberry season! We have been picking them here and there on our morning walks for a couple of weeks now.

They have been super tart and delicious in Blackberry Rhubarb Pie. (Rhubarb from Doubletree Farm) Now that they have had a chance to mature, they are sweeter and ready to for snacking.

Place your order for pick up at the Weaverville Tailgate Market and the Mars Hill Market or stop by the Marshall Island Market to taste the new fruits of the season.

Parent and Child Art Exploration (Ages 1-3)
Contact:
michelle@ardfieldfarm.com
Wondering how to introduce art to your toddler while learning more yourself? Join us for Parent and Child Art Exploration. Inspired by the Waldorf philosophy of early childhood education, I believe that the young child learns best through imitation. Each class will follow a rhythm of circle time with songs and stories to introduce the days medium, further exploration of the medium during which the parent will create a piece of art in tandem with their child, simple clean up activities to help the child gain a sense of completion of the artwork, followed by a closing circle. We will learn simple songs to guide children through the activities of each class. You can expect to learn techniques in clay, fiber arts, natural dying, and painting through out the session while fostering a love of art in your little one.

Weaverville Classes will meet Wednesdays, starting July 11 through August 15, from 10 AM- 11AM, at the First Presbyterian Church in Weaverville. Tuition: $75 plus $15 materials fee.

Art Exploration (Ages 4-7)
Contact:michelle@ardfieldfarm.com
Art Exploration is a wonderful introduction to various mediums and art techniques for the young child. Inspired by the Waldorf Philosophy of early childhood education, each class will follow a rhythm of circle time with songs and stories to introduce the days medium, further exploration of the medium during which the students will create a piece of art, simple clean up activities to help the child gain a sense of completion of the artwork,
followed by a closing circle. Simple songs will be learned to guide children through the activities of each class. You can expect your child to learn techniques in clay, fiber arts, natural dying, and painting through out the session while fostering a love of art. Parents
are welcome to attend with their child.

Weaverville Classes will meet Wednesdays, starting July 11 through August 15, from 11:30 AM- 12:30PM, at the First Presbyterian Church in Weaverville. Tuition: $90 plus $15 materials fee

Today’s post covers a lot of ground! New potatoes are ready for harvest and available by order or at the Marshall Island Farmer’s Market on Sundays.

We would also like to introduce our newest item, Raw Chocolate Almond Butter Cups, available at the Madison County Farmers and Artisans Market, Weaverville Tailgate Market, and the Marshall Island Market! These decadent little treats are sweetened with local Raw Honey and a touch of Grade B Maple Syrup and Coconut Palm Crystals. Packed with super foods, Virgin Coconut Oil, Raw Cacao Powder, and Crispy Almonds, the cups give you a boost of energy and treat for your taste buds. We planned to offer a photo with this post, but they sold out at the market yesterday!

Finally, a friend of mine shared a beautiful chart showing the benefits of various herbs. Several of our prepared foods feature items on the chart! If you haven’t tasted our Gluten free Tabouli or Thai Almond Butter Sauce see the chart for another reason to check out our tasty items. And, if you already know how delicious they are, feel good about the health benefits you have been providing your body!

Introducing a new way to order produce for pick up at 3 Farmer’s Markets each week. Join our Yahoo Group and create and a standing order or place an order as you wish. Don’t wait till market day to see what produce is available. Plan your meals ahead of time by joining the Ardfield Farm Yahoo Group and visit our Available Produce Page to order what’s fresh.

Visit the the new page on our site, Yahoo Orders Database, under the Looking for Year Round Produce tab and the CSA tab for information on how to join the yahoo group and start picking up fresh produce at a market near you!